Centrifugal spindle clutch



Ag- 7, 1962 .1. L. LAQUERRE ETAL 3,048,249

CENTRIFUGAL SPINDLE CLUTCH Filed Jan. 22. 1960 J J W m5 .z e a mam fl10W Y A ,E L Sm W MY/ UAB J M W Unite This invention relates to a noveland improved Centrifugal clutch for the spindles of such as spinningframes, twisting lframes, and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a more efiicient andrugged device of the kind indicated,

which involves a cap and a body 'which are in spaced relation to eachother and are connected for rotation `together by guide means whichextends therebetween, the guide means serving as mounting andpositioning means for expansible jaw means which are centrifugallyexpansible to grip the interiors of tubes, bobbins and the like engagedon the device.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a more versatiledevice of the charaoter indicated above, wherein the body thereof isadapted to be locked to an associated spindle to mount the devicethereon, and the cap thereof is devoid of `such locking means, andwherein the centrifugal jaw means can be of different for-ms and becomposed of selected numbers of jaw elements.

' A further object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter indicated above wherein the centrifugal jaw means comprises aplurality of flat discsv which are mounted on the guide means, instacked and touching relationship, the discs being similar but beingengaged with the 'guide means in differing circumferential positions, soas to present, at diifering points spaced circumferentially around thedevice, gripping edge portions of ldifferent discs.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a clutch device of the inventioninstalled, on a spindle;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged Vertical transverse section taken on the line2-2 of FIGURE 1,'

FIGURE 3 is a horizontal section taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation showing a device ofthe invention installed on a spindle, and a tube, shown in section,engaged on the device;

FIGURE 5 is a horizontal section taken on the line 5-5 of FIGURE 4; and

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of the device, before assembly.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated clutch device,general designated 10, comprises a base 12, a cap 14, a centrifugal jawassembly 16, and jaw assembly mounting assembly 18 on the base The base12 comprises a relatively thick and preferably solid, circular flat body20 having an aXial bore 22 eX- tending therethrou-gh, to slidablyreceive the spindle 24 of such as a spinning or twisting frame (notshown). For locking the base 12 on a spindle 24, suitable means isprovided, preferably in the form of a looking stud 26, threaded in aradial bore 28 formed in the body 20 and entering the axial bore 22.

Surrounding the bore 22 and fiXed to the upper surface 30 of Ithe basebody 20, is an upstanding, relatively thin- Walled tube 32 having anopen upper end 34, which is a component of the mounting means '18. Thetube 32 States Patent has a Vertical bore 36 the 'same in size as andregistered with the body bore 22.

The mounting means 18 fur-ther comprises a plurality of, preferablythree, similar round rods 38, of relatively small diameter, which extendthrough bores 40 formed through the base body 20 and are uniformlyspaced from the tube 32 and equally circumferentially spaced from eachother around the body 20. The body 20 has a peripheral edge 42 which isslightly smaller in diameter than the interior surface 44 of a bobbin or'tube 46 which is to be mounted on an and secured to a spindle 24, asshown in FIGURE 4.

The cap 14 comprises a circular body 48, preferably of the samethickness and diameter as the base body 20, which is formed with anaxial bore 50 to receive the spindle 24, and vwith a plurality ofuniformly eccentric smooth bores 52, which are of the same size as andare positioned to receive the upper ends of the rods 38 of the base 12.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the axial bore `50 of the cap body 48 has acounterbore 54 opening to the lower or under surface 56 of the cap body48, to receive an upper end portion of the base tube 32, with the upperend 34 of the tube abutting the shoulder 58 defined at the upper end ofthe counterbore 54, whereby the cap 14 is maintained in a predeterminedspaced position above the base body 20. The rods 38 are of such lengththat when the base 12 and the cap 14 are assembled, related ends of therods project above the upper surface 60 of the cap body 48 and theundersurface 62 of the base body 20, against 'which the rod ends arerivetted or peened, as indicated at 64 and 66, respectively.

In this connection it is to be noted that the rods 318 can be secured tothe base 12 and the cap 14 in any other desired -manner 'which enablesdisconnection therefrom from the cap 14 and/ or the base r12, withoutsignificant damage thereto, for the purpose of enabling thesubstitution, when wanted, of different forms of centrifugal jaw means,or different numbers of jaw elements or components.

The illustrated centrifugal jaw assembly 16 comprises a plurality of,such as six, similar relatively thin fiat circular -discs 68, each beingan independent jaw element, which are preferably slightly smaller indiameter than the base 12 and the cap 14, and have peripheral edges '70.Each jaw element 68 has a circular axial opening 72 which is larger indiameter than, and is loosely en- -gaged on the base tube 32, so thatthe jaw elements have predetermined limited freedom to be moved, bycentrifugal force, when the spindle 24 and the device 10 are rotated,laterally relatively to the tube 32, so as to extcnd a portion of anedge 70 beyond the peripheral edges of the base 12 and the cap 14 andgrip a portion of the interior surface 44 of a bobbin or tube 46 engagedon the device 10, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5.

The jaw elements 68 are prevented from rotating relative to the base 12and the cap 14 and guided in radial inward and outward movementsrelative thereto, by engagement with related ones of the rods '38, of apair of parallel chordal slots 74 which have closed inner ends locatedon diameters of the elements and open ends 82 at the 'gripping edges 70thereof; and of single slots 84 which are parallel to and are spacedmidway between the slots 84 and open to the axial openings 72 of the jawelements, at the sides of the elements opposite the slots 84. The closedends '88 of the single slots 84 and the closed ends 80 of the slots 84are located so that undue projection of the jaw elements 68 in theircentrifugally act'uated gripping movements relative to the base 12, thecap 14, and the mounting assembly 18, is precluded, by engagement of theclosed ends of the slots With related rods 38, or, optionally byengagement of the jaw element openings 72 with the tube 32.

As shown in FIGURE 2 and 4, the jaw elements 68 bear loosely againsteach other and the stack of jaw elements is loosely confined between thefacing surfaces of the base 12 and the cap 14, so that freedom ofindependent centrifugal movements of the jaw elements is assured.

As shown in FIGURES 2, 3, 5 and 6, adjacent jaw elements 68 are engagedon the rods 33, so tha't these elements and their slots '74 and 84 aredisposed at different angles of at least forty-five degrees relative toeach other. Depending upon the number of jaw elements 68 used, alternatejaw elements are arranged at 120 degrees relative to each other, asshown in FIGURES 5 and 6, the end in view being the provision ofgripping edge portions 90, in the areas of the single slots tie, which,when the elements are centrifugally projected, will make equallycircumferentially spaced gripping contacts with the interior surface 44-of the bobbin or tube 45, as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5. With thisunderstanding of the functional structures of the elements 68, it willbe evident that these elements can be otherwise than symmetricallycircular. The six jaw elements 63 are illustrated as composed of threesets of two, the elements of each set being disposed at angles of 120relative to each other, with the adjacent elements of each set disposedat 120 relative to each other.

It is to be noted that because of the relatively small frictionalsurface engagements presented by the edges of the slots 74 land 84 inengagement with the rods 38, and the loose engagements of the surfacesof adjacent jaw elements 68, and the loose contacts between jaw elementsand the facing surfaces of the base 12 and the cap 14;, the jaw elementshave maximum freedom of centrifugal movement into gripping engagementswith the interior of a bobbin or tube, which assures maximum gripconsistent with the speed of rotation of a spindle 24, of the jawelements with the bobbin or tube. Further, making the slots 74 and 84wide enough to avoid binding thereof on the rods 38, provides forconformance of the gripping edge portions 90 with the interior surfaceof a bobbin or tube, so more effective grip of the elements 68 thereonis produced.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A centrifugal clutch comprising a base, a cap spaced from the base,mounting means extending between and fixed to the base and the cap, anda centrifugal jaw assembly mounted on said mounting means, said jawa'ssembly comprising a stack of fiat jaw elements circurnposed on themounting means between the base and the cap, said jaw elements havingeccentric principal mass portions having gripping edges which are spacedfrom each other around the clutch, said base, said cap, and said jawelements having aligned axial openings therethrough for receiving aspindle, and spindle engaging locking means on said clutch, saidmounting means comprising circumferentially spaced rods extendingbetween the base and the cap, said jaw elements have chordal slotsseverally engaged with the rods, the slots of `adjacent jaw elementsbeing angularly displaced relative to each other.

2. A centrifugal spindle clutch comprising a circular fiat base, acircular fiat cap, said base and said cap being spaced from each otherand being smaller in diameter 'than a tube to be engaged on the clutch,rods extending between and fixed to the base and the cap, an axialspindle receiving tube fixed to the base and extending to the cap, saidrods being concentrically spaced around the tube and circurnferentiallyspaced from each other, said base and said cap having aligned axialspindle receiving openings registered with the bore of said tube, a jawassembly positioned and loosely confined between said base and said cap,said assembly comprising a plurality of relatively thin independentlymovable jaw elements having axial openings larger in diameter than andloosely engaged on said tube, said jaw elements having parallel chordalslots severally engaged on related ones of said rods, said elementshaving eccentric principal mass portions having gripping edges, andmeans on the base for locking the clutch on a spindle.

3. A centrifugal spindle clutch comprising a circular flat base, acircular fiat cap, said base and said cap being spaced from each otherand being smaller in diameter than a tube to be engaged on the clutch,rods extending between and fixed to the base and the cap, an axialspindle receiving tube fixed to the base and extending to the cap, saidrods being concentrically spaced around the tube and circumferential'lyspaced from each other, said base and said cap having aligned axialspindle receiving openings registered with the bore of said tube, a jawassembly positioned and loosely confined between said base and said cap,said assembly comprising a plurality of relatively thin independentlymovable jaw elements having aXial openings larger in diameter than andloosely engaged on said tube, said jaw elements having parallel chordalslots severally engaged on related ones of said rods, said elementshaving eccentric principal mass portions having gripping edges, andmeans on the base for looking the clutch on a spindle, the slots ofadjacent discs being angularly displaced relative to each other with thegripping edge portions of the discs circumfereutially spaced around theclutch.

4. A centrifugal spindle clutch comprising a circular fiat base, acircular fiat cap, said base and said cap being spaced from each otherand being smaller in diameter than a tube to be engaged on the clutch,rods extending between and fiXed to the base and the cap, an axialspindle receiving tube fixed to the base and extending to the cap, saidrods being concentrically spaced around the tube and circumferentiallyspaced from each other, said base and said cap having aligned axialspindle receiving openings registered with the bore of said tube, a jawassembly positioned and loosely confined between said base and said cap,said assembly comprising a plurality of relatively thin independentlymovable jaw elements having aXial openings larger in diameter than andloosely engaged on said tube, said jaw elements having parallel chordalslots severally engaged on related ones of said rods, said elementshaving eccentric principal mass portions having gripping edges, andmeans on the base for looking the clutch on a spindle, the slots ofadjacent jaw elements being angularly displaced relative to each otherwith the gripping edge portions of the jaw elements circumferentiallyspaced around the clutch, said rods being three in number and beingspaced from the peripheral edges of the base and the cap, and said slotsconsisting of a pair of slots having closed inward ends and outward endswhich open to the edges of the jaw elements, and a single second slotlocated between the first slots, said single slot having a closedoutward end and an inner end which opens to the aXial openings of thejaw elements.

5. A ceutrifugal clutch comprising a circular base, a circular capaxially aligned with and spaced from` said base, said base and said caphaving aligned axial openings, said base having an axial tube fiXedaround its aXial opening and extending to and bearing against the caparound the aXial opening of the cap, a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced rods spacedly surrounding said tube and extending between thebase and the cap, a plurality of fiat centrifugal jaw elements, saiddiscs having central openings larger in diameter than and looselyreceiving said tube, said elements being movable relative to each otherbe- MA A tween the base and the cap and laterally relative to the baseand the cap, said elements having pairs of parallel chordal slots havingoutward ends opening to the peripheries of the elements, and singlediametrical slots located between said chordal slots, said elementshaving eccentric principal mass portions located in the regions of saidsingle slots and having peripheral gripping edges.

6. A centrifugal clutch comprising a circular base, a circular capaXially aligned with and spaced from said base, said base and said caphaving aligned axial openings, said base having an axial tube fixedaround its axial opening and extending to and bearing against the caparound the aXial opening of the cap, a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced rods spacedly surrounding said tube and eX- tending between thebase and the cap, a plurality of fiat centrifugal jaw elements, saiddiscs having central openings larger in diameter than and looselyreceiving said tube, said elements being movable relative to each otherReferences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STAT ES PATENTS2,670,829` Bruestle Mar. 2, 1954 FOREIGN PATENTS 545,090 France July 12,1922 500,752 Germany June 25,1930

